18th Annual Student Research Conference
Fine Arts
Brahms: Intermezzo, Op. 117, No. 1
Rachel A. Scheperle
Dr. Janice Saffir, Faculty Mentor
This romantic character piece is the first of a set of three Intermezzi written in 1892. In a letter, Brahms describes this piece as a "lullaby of my griefs." The piece is in ternary form (ABA'), with the outer sections in Eb major and the middle section in the parallel key of Eb minor. Not only is the middle section in a contrasting key, but it is also a slower tempo and devoid of the main melody found in the first and third sections. In my preparation of this piece, I paid particular attention to bringing out the melodies. Although the melodies are primarily in the RH, they are often found in the midst of chords. Knowledge of phrase lengths and climaxes were also necessary in deciding on the kind and amount of rubato to employ. Pedalling was considered in relation to conveying the mood, which was the overall focus of the piece.
Keywords: Brahams, Character Piece, Intermezzo, Romantic Period
Topic(s):Music
Presentation Type: Performance Art
Session: 15-4
Location: OP 1393, Performance Hall
Time: 10:30